Professor's "Uncanny" book explores horror movie genre
Squeaky floorboards, creaking rusty hinges of a door and the hair-raising sense of an alien presence in a dark house set the tone for today's spooky movies. But how did early movie viewers react when sound first came to the screen?
During a brief period between 1927 to a few months after the release of Dracula in 1931, audiences saw talking movies for the first time. The public's response to the coupling of images and sound--and the beginning of the horror film genre--are the focus of Case Western Reserve University author Robert Spadoni's forthcoming book in September, Uncanny Bodies: The Coming of Sound Film and the Origins of the Horror Genre(University of California Press).
Today's audiences might look at the old horror films with a "condescending" attitude that the movies lack sophistication, but Spadoni argues that for the time and place in which the movies were made, they were a new and startling experience for those audiences. Read more.
Campus News
The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, July 31 in the Nord Hall, Room 310. For details and to register, send e-mail to Cassandra Kornbau.
Information Technology Services has upgraded the Case Software Center. The new version features a user-friendly interface with clear graphics and intuitive descriptions of each product. In addition, the new version includes Microsoft's Vista operating system upgrade software. Questions: Send e-mail to the Software Center.
For Faculty & Staff
For a list of vendors participating in the Employee Discount Program, go to the human resources Web site. Vendors offer discounts on car repairs, dining, entertainment, dry cleaning and more.
As a new academic year approaches, employees, as well as, spouses and dependents of employees, have an opportunity to pursue their education at Case through the tuition waiver program. Refer to the human resources Web site to learn more or send e-mail to the Benefits office.
For Students
Attention international students: Orientation to the Career Center takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. today at the Career Center. This session will introduce international students to the services and resources offered by the center, such as resume and cover letter assistance, career counseling and assessment, consulting hours, on-campus interviewing, the Accenture Career Library, online resources, career fairs and more. Details: Send e-mail to Amy Goldman.
Events
The Center for Community Partnerships invites the campus members to participate in Walk and Roll Cleveland, a chance to explore the culturally diverse neighborhoods along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in University Circle. Event will take place on four Sundays in August. Participants can walk, jog, run or ride a bike throughout Rockefeller Park that extends from Lake Erie to University Circle. Learn more.
Refer to the Web event calendar for a list of events and activities on campus and in the community today and in the days ahead.
